Autumn 2018 plans

Autumn has arrived in the UK, bringing with it the imminent arrival of John’s latest project: Sacred Choruses, a 384-page anthology of choral favourites, including Parry’s Jerusalem, Handel’s Zadok the Priest and Schubert’s Magnificat. John has been hunting, sifting, arranging, translating and typesetting 30 choruses, which are on the cusp of being published, along with their companion volume of organ accompaniments. Its publication (expected on 15th November) will be announced on social media and via the mailing list.

John is replacing his editing hat with his composing and conducting hats over the next few months. Following a fabulous trip to Rome for a conference on church music in September (and Vespers in the wonderful Sistine Chapel), he is leading two singing days in October – in Ipswich (UK) and Madrid – and conducting a performance of his Requiem on 28th October. John is also hard at work on a new carol commissioned by the National Youth Choir, which will be premiered at the Royal Albert Hall on 23rd December.

This month, the new album from The Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge, Park: Choral Works, has been playing:

“For a composer in his early twenties to be awarded a whole album devoted to his music – and recorded by Trinity College Choir – there has to be something special there. There is . . . try it!”

You can listen to Owain Park’s Caelos ascendit hodie from the new album on YouTube, along with John’s other recommendations for new releases. Follow on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube to hear his recommendations.